


First Date

by captain_sassy_socks



Series: Crossword - AU [2]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Crossword - AU, Ellie the dog, F/M, First Date, Humor, Sadness, Self-Doubt, Sprinkled with, joy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-01-31 18:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21450790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_sassy_socks/pseuds/captain_sassy_socks
Summary: Sam and Jack have to overcome some obstacles before and during their first date.Can they make it work? And how does Ellie fit into this all?
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Crossword - AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540798
Comments: 5
Kudos: 75





	First Date

A key turns in the lock of the front door. Weakly, Sam opens the entrance to her house. She discards the mail together with the belongings from her pockets on the small table in the hallway. She takes a look at her reflection in the foyer’s mirror. An exhausted woman greets her, dark circles around her eyes are etched into the pale skin. A trickle of dried blood is still visible on her left temple.

The last ten days have been hell. A routine mission of SG-1 accompanying SG-10 to a seemingly uninhabited yet Naquadah-rich planet went south pretty quickly. After not even six hours of exploration, they were ambushed by a horde of Jaffa loyal to Ptah. Captured, they were brought before the system lord and tortured for intelligence on Earth’s defense systems. With a combination of creativity, military precision, and a little luck, they managed to escape. In the end, they even blew up one of Ptah’s Ha’tak vessels. Once again, they cheated death and saved Earth at the price of some minor, personal injuries.

Her whole body aches.

Sam moves into the kitchen and rolls her shoulders to get some of the tiredness out of her muscles. A look into the refrigerator reveals a vast emptiness except for a jug of orange juice, which still seems to be drinkable. Taking a long gulp, she picks her mobile phone up from the counter.

Battery – 12%.

3 missed calls, 2 new text messages. All from Jack.

Sam closes her eyes and winces. The jug lands with a hard thud on the counter.

She had totally forgotten about her date with Jack. After their chance encounter at the coffeehouse, she had barely waited until the next day to call him. They chatted about this and that for a while and agreed to meet in a small diner on Friday.

That was a week ago.

Anxiously, she reads the first text message from him.

_Hey, Sam. I am looking forward to tomorrow. Ellie is excited, too. - Jack_

Anticipation and joy are visible in his words.

His second message tears at her heart. Guilt and shame gnaw at her bones.

_Hi, Sam. If you are in trouble or cannot make it, pls call me. I am worried. - Jack_

The three calls afterward are a testimony to his concern and his persistence. He must have wondered why she stood him up and never called.

She sighs at another missed opportunity due to a run-in with some pompous Goa’uld on some backwater planet. That’s the main reason why she is single. Whenever she decides to have some fun or treat herself or meet up with a charming guy, an interstellar threat intervenes and destroys all carefully arranged plans.

A small, stubborn voice in her head urges her to contact him. What else does she have to lose?

She plugs the mobile phone in and dials his number. Internally, she steels herself against any accusation that might get thrown at her. It wouldn’t be the first time.

On the third ring, he answers absent-minded. “O’Neill.” Obviously, he didn’t recognize her number. In the background, she can hear Ellie wail.

Her nervousness gets the better of her. She stutters, “Hi. Uhm, here is Sam.”

The silence stretches between them. Sam holds her breath, afraid that any kind of sound might chase him away. Her frantic heart pounds loudly in her ears.

“What do you want?” His tone is clipped.

She releases her breath in defeat. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it. I told you I would be away on an assignment. It took longer than anticipated.” Yep, that’s what happens when you get captured, she adds in her mind.

“Really? You’re giving me this bullshit! You couldn’t call or send me a text? Or contact me the next day? It’s been a week, Sam! A week!” His anger is palpable over the line.

She flinches at his harsh words. Two weeks ago, she was irritated when her supposed date canceled on her due to ‘being busy on the job’. Now, she uses the same excuse on Jack.

She has nothing to counter his outburst except for a muffled, “I’m sorry.”

He rages on, “Do you know how worried I was when I couldn’t reach you? How my mind conjured up all these horrible images of you being injured or lying dead in a dark alley? Or how much of a fool I was, assuming that a young, gorgeous woman like you would be interested in an old, worn-out man like me?”

“I’m sorry, Jack. Please believe me.” Her voice trembled with unshed tears. “I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

“The truth, Sam. The truth,” he begs her.

“I can’t. It’s classified.” She hates how it always comes down to this particular word, ‘classified’. The invisible barrier between her and any kind of social connections or deeper human interactions. Or a promising date.

Dejection is audible in the way his breathing changes.

“I’m sorry… I’m... sorry, I called.” Tears stream freely down her face.

The hand cradling the phone drops down, and right before she intends to hit the end-call button, she hears a faint, “Wait!”

Immediately, she lifts the device back to her ear, fearful and hopeful in equal parts. The knuckles of her hand turn white as the clutches it desperately.

“Please, don’t. I…,” he sighs in frustration, searching for words. His apparent anger from a few minutes ago has vanished into thin air. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

The tension in her muscles eases. Relief floods her system. Maybe the universe is willing to give her a break for a change when it comes to her vulnerable heart.

“Yes, I am.” Before she loses her courage entirely, she hiccups between dwindling sobs, “And I... still want to... go on a date with you. If... you have me, that is.”

With the back of her hand, she wipes away the wet trails on her cheeks.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?”

Sam thinks of all the chores she probably should do; laundry, shopping, or sifting through her mail. Her body feels tired and screams for a relaxing bath. To grab some shuteye sounds inviting as well.

“No.”

“I was thinking about a late stroll to the dog park.” After a pause, he adds, “Ellie would be overjoyed.”

He still sounds guarded. Sam can’t blame him for wanting to protect his heart against another let-down. “We can’t disappoint her now, can we?” She tries to ease his mind and convey her honest intention to make amends.

“We can meet at the coffeehouse and grab some food at… let’s say six?”

“Six sounds good.” Absentmindedly, she traces a meaningless pattern on the counter.

This time, the silence between them is filled with traces of burgeoning hope. The prospect of an evening in each other’s company lets her mind wander. What ifs emerge and take form until his dog breaks through her reverie with her zealous barks.

“Ellie approves,” he chuckles. “See you at six.”

“See you. Bye.”

She ends the call and places the phone down. A weight has been lifted from her heart. The butterflies in her stomach return and buzz in anticipation. All weariness and exhaustion evaporate at the thought of spending the evening with a handsome man named Jack O’Neill and his dog Ellie.

She decides to put on a simple, long-sleeved red blouse that would cover the bruises on the upper part of her body and goes well with her brown motorbike clothing. In the bathroom, she refreshes herself, fluffs her hair and gazes at her reflection in the mirror. A tentative smile has overtaken her facial features. She can’t remember the last time she felt this dizzy with excitement.

She could get used to it.

Shortly before six o’clock, she steers her bike into the parking lot. Jack and Ellie already wait in front of his truck. She parks in an open space across from them. The moment, she dismounts and takes her helmet off, a whirlwind of light brown and dark fur nearly knocks her over. Overjoyed barks and an enthusiastically wagging tail greet her. Sam crouches down to pet Ellie.

“Hey, easy girl.” She has to fend off a sloppy tongue that threatens to sweep all over her cheerful face.

His shadow appears next to her. From the corner of her eyes, Sam catches Jack’s appreciative gaze roam all over her body.

“Hi, Sam.” The relief in his tone doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Hi, Jack.” She sounds like fifteen again, meeting her crush for the first time. An accumulation of frayed nerves and giddiness.

“You own a bike?” Amazement and approval resonate in his vocal tone. He steps over, and the tip of his index finger traces the sleek outline of her engine, an enticing mix of chrome and leather. “Sweet.”

“Yeah. Although these days I don’t take her out as much as I’d used to.” Sam’s eyes follow his every move with keen interest. Since his back is turned to her, she takes the opportunity to inspect him from toe to head. He wears boots and is clad in denim with a gray T-shirt, outlining the taut muscles of his back. His scruffy look emphasizes his alluring yet down-to-earth masculinity. The tip of her tongue wets her lips unconsciously.

Their gaze meets. Arms folded, he slightly rocks back and forth on his feet. One side of his mouth curls up.

A faint blush starts to spread over her cheeks.

He tilts his head towards the entrance and inquires, “Shall we?”

One last ruffle through Ellie’s fur, and Sam stands up.

Jack holds the door open like a perfect gentleman and follows her inside. Three customers make up the line in front of them.

“How do you like your coffee?” Jack asks from behind.

She turns to face him. “Usually black. If I wanna treat myself, I’ll take a cappuccino with cinnamon sprinkled on top. You?”

“Dark as the night.” Sam rolls her eyes at his lame joke.

Once it is their turn, they order a chicken sandwich, a cheesecake, two blueberry muffins, two black coffees, and one bottle of water. Jack offers to pay. Sam indulges him without any argument. She is well aware that he tries to impress her. Which, of course, is unnecessary. He has already made a lasting impression on her. ‘Yummy’ comes to mind.

Outside, Jack needs to collect Ellie’s toy from his truck. The dog has the choice between a battered rabbit and a tennis ball that looks pretty nibbled off. Her muzzle encloses the latter, and off they go.

After a short walk in silence, they arrive at the dog park. At the entrance, Jack demands from Ellie to hand over her toy by holding out his open palm. Ellie drops it at his feet and bolts towards the other dogs.

Sam bites down hard on her lower lip to stifle her laughter.

Jack sighs, “One of these days, I get her to comply.” He picks the ball up, and together they stroll over to a bench. They arrange food in the open space between them.

“You see that little, white ball of fluff over there?” Jack points to the playing field.

Sam nods, lifting the coffee cup to her lips.

“That’s Brutus.”

One eyebrow raised, she leans sideways.

“Yeah, the name’s a bit over the top,” Jack shrugs in agreement. “Anyway, he’s Ellie’s best friend and belongs to the nice, old lady on the bench under the maple tree.”

Sam takes the sight in front of her in. Several large and small dogs romp around and sniff at each other. The owners wait aside or chat with each other in the amicable atmosphere. She can understand the charm of this place.

Jack takes a bite from his cheesecake. “So, Major in the Air Force and astrophysicist. Impressive.” Another morsel. “What is it exactly that you do?”

“Deep space radar telemetry,” Sam states matter-of-factly, the rehearsed answer to an innocent question.

“That’s like NASA, right?”

“Similar, but classified,” she admits and dabs at her mouth with a paper napkin. Steering the conversation away from an uncomfortable topic, she asks, “Now that you know what I do, I still have no idea what you do for a living.”

He takes a sip from his coffee and answers, “I’m a park ranger. I love working and hiking in the great outdoors.”

“It suits you.” Really, it does. His suntanned skin and good shape appeal to her. Plus, they have one more thing in common, hiking.

“And I can take Ellie with me to work most of the time,” he provides this tidbit of information as an afterthought.

“How long do you have her?”

“Five years,” he elaborates. “Since my divorce.” He casts his eyes down to the bench. His right index finger scratches over an indent in fascination.

“I’m sorry,” Sam mutters and puts her sandwich down. She feels his mood shift towards something somber. A memory that threatens to overshadow the lighthearted atmosphere of the evening.

“Please don’t. It’s just the memory of a ghost.” An apologetic smile forms around his mouth but doesn’t quite reach his eyes. His head turns towards the playing field, eyes searching for his dog.

Sam reaches over and rubs his upper arm soothingly. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Her voice is filled with concern.

He covers her hand and gives it a firm squeeze. “Yeah, all okay.” The heaviness of the moment disappears. “I’m glad I met you the other day. And I’m thrilled to be here with you. That’s all that matters.”

Sam leans back and scoffs, “You should be!”

Jack blinks in confusion a few times and frowns, “Why?”

“You were kinda creepy. The way you came onto me.”

“Yeah, sorry for that. For a second, I even contemplated throwing Ellie’s toy in front of your feet just to get your attention.” He mimics the gesture of throwing a ball.

“You did what?” Sam snorts and nearly spills her coffee. The back of her hand wipes over her mouth. He passes another paper napkin to her.

“I admit, not one of my finest ideas.” He takes another sip from his cup, eyes twinkling with mischief.

After a moment of contemplation, Sam declares, “You were lucky, Ellie was with you. She convinced me to give you a chance.”

Jack raises one eyebrow.

Locking her eyes with his, Sam points out in earnest, “Dogs are a good judge of character.”

“Yes, they are.”

A comfortable silence fills the space between them, while they finish off the remainders of their food. Sam picks at her muffin and studies his features from beneath lowered lashes. The way the lines and wrinkles are etched into the skin around his warm, brown eyes. The scruff along his chin makes him look roguish. His unruly, silver-gray hair sticks out in all directions and begs her to run her fingers through the silkiness. Her gaze drifts over his toned arms, the light curls an adorning highlight against the golden-brown background.

Jack flexes his biceps teasingly.

A pink blush colors her cheeks. Sam ducks her head in embarrassment at being caught red-handed, for the second time today. A ringlet falls into her face.

Two gentle fingers brush along her jaw and tuck the strand behind her ear. Her eyelids flutter close while she turns into his touch, savoring the contrast of his callused fingers against her soft skin.

Ardent longing, denied for a long time, stirs deep within her.

“Earth to Sam. Still with me?” An amused voice penetrates her blissful state.

Sam blinks several times and jerks her head up. The blush increases to bright red and spreads all over her chest and face.

“Yeah,” she stammers and tries to compose herself. Her hand runs aimlessly through her hair.

His eyes sparkle with delight.

Ellie chooses the moment to disrupt them with her wailing request to play fetch, for which Sam is grateful.

He claps his hands. “Let’s go!”

He gets up and throws the ball far away. Ellie darts over the grass, catches it, and brings it back. They take turns in aiming, throwing, and cheering the dog on. One time, the tennis ball lands offside, and Brutus steals it. It ends with Ellie chasing the thief half across the dog park.

Sam bubbles over with laughter. A sharp pain shoots through the muscles in her abdomen. She doubles over and clutches her midriff.

Immediately, Jack is at her side and places a comforting hand at her back. “Everything okay?”

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing.” Sam takes a deep, calming breath, stretches, and waves off his concerns.

He scrutinizes her with eyes full of worry but doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t give him any indication of what caused the pain. She’d rather forget about her bruises and the enemy responsible for it.

Eventually, Ellie tires out. The last throw is only followed by her indifferent stare. Even the encouraging words from her master can’t convince her to budge. Jack shakes his head and jogs over to where the ball landed and retrieves it.

Once back, he passes the water bottle to Sam and crouches down. With both hands, he forms a hollow from which Ellie can lap.

Sam is touched by the display in front of her. The diligence and devotion he shows for his dog warms her heart.

She could kiss him right now.

When Ellie is finished, he stands up and dries his hands on his pants. He furrows his brow at Sam’s wistful look. A silent question hovers between them. Sam just grins back and pets his dog.

They pack up and walk back to the parking lot. The closer they come to their destination, the slower they move. Neither wants the evening to end.

Awkward, they stand in front of his truck, unwilling to part.

Jack rubs the back of his neck. “Sooo… it was really nice. I had fun.”

“Yeah, it was.” Sam looks down on rubble on the ground and finds a particular pebble fascinating.

He shoves his hands deep into the back pockets of his pants. “I really like to see you again.” Ellie whines beside him. “I mean, we really like to see you again.”

“I really like you, too. You both, I mean… I had fun with you both.”

Sam cringes internally. This is worse than being fifteen. She is a highly decorated officer in the USAF, a member of SG-1, and has a doctorate in astrophysics. She can recite the most complicated equations and comes up with last-minute solutions to save Earth every other week. But when it comes to an attractive and charming man like Jack, her mind draws a blank in periodic intervals. Too often, she more or less fumbles her way through the conversation.

A smirk graces his face. “I got that impression. I’ll call you, okay?”

Sam nods vigorously, afraid to blurt something incoherent, again.

He shakes his head in amusement and shuffles towards his truck. Ellie jumps in eagerly as soon as the door on the passenger side is open.

Sam observes him from a safe distance and replays the whole evening in her head. He has acted like a gentleman, has been attentive, has made her laugh and blush, and has not bothered her about her job or the failed attempt at their first date. Jack has simply treated her with respect. With small gestures, he has shown his affection and sincerity.

All the clues point in the same direction, and the answer fits perfectly into the crossword puzzle that is labeled as Jack O’Neill.

He circles around to the driver’s side.

She makes up her mind and strides back. “Jack, wait!”

“Wha-” Whatever he wants to say is muffled as she locks her lips with his. He freezes for a second, which makes her question the sanity of her impulsive action.

Did she read him wrong?

Her doubts are dispelled when his arms circle around her waist and pull her closer. He returns the kiss with equal fervor. She changes the angle and glides over his luscious lips. One hand rises to the back of his head and holds him in place so she can pry his mouth open with the tip of her tongue. He offers no resistance and welcomes her in. Unhurried, she maps out the roof of his mouth and trails over his teeth. Their tongues glide against each other in a sensual dance.

She feels herself crawling out of her own skin at the intensity of the kiss. The butterflies in her stomach burst into a colorful array behind her eyelids.

The heat from his fingertips burns through the leather and marks the flesh underneath.

Sam breaks off and rests her forehead against his, trying to slow down her breathing. Their rapid breaths mingle. His hand slides into her hair and toys with a strand, whereas the other is firmly anchored on her hip. Her fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Gently, he cups her jaw and tilts her head back to search her eyes. A thumb traces a reverent line over her heated skin. She loses herself in their brown, desire-filled depth.

“Stay with me. Please? We can have a drink or two. Talk. Or maybe do some crossword puzzles.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively while his hand smooths over her backside.

“I can’t,” Sam declines, her voice filled with a tinge of regret. She really wants to give in. Her lips already miss his fiery touch. However, the trail of purple spots and broken skin holds her back. How does she explain all these bruises on her torso and upper arms? She doesn’t want to scare him off before they even get a chance to explore this thing between them. Not when she can’t give him a proper explanation.

“Why?” Perplexed, Jack stops his caressing motions.

“It’s this time of the month… you know,” she lies. Well, not a complete lie as she is only off by about three days.

“Ah,” he picks up on the clue. “Next time?” Eagerness returns to his voice.

“Sure!” In an attempt to distract him and erase the bitter aftertaste of her fib, she engages him in a series of hot, open-mouthed kisses. She works her way over his scruff towards his ear. Getting on her toes, she whispers with feigned self-confidence, “Next time, I’ll do you across and down. Promise.”

She hears him gulp down hard. Without waiting for another beat, she spins around and leaves him standing flabbergasted in the parking lot.

When she drives off, a weird mixture of infatuation and melancholy settles over her.

In the back of her head, a persistent voice nags her and insists that every white lie comes with a price tag attached. She tries not to picture what hers might be.

**Author's Note:**

> These two really had me all over the place as they couldn’t decide what to do on a first date.
> 
> Luckily, Ellie intervened.
> 
> And I got the distinct impression that it is not going to be smooth sailing with them, not even a rollercoaster, more like ‘The Hurricane’ type of carousel ride.


End file.
